Letting Her Hair Down
by Machiko-Chan
Summary: The “Ice Queen.” The renowned “Frozen Flower” of Tomoeda High School. Always cool, calculating, and sensible… right?
1. Icy Exterior

Disclaimer: I don't own Cardcaptors, and I never will.

The "Ice Queen." The renowned "Frozen Flower" of Tomoeda High School. Always cool, calculating, and sensible… right?

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Long, unique violet hair coiffed into its signature tight bun, not a single strand of hair out of place. Uniform starched, pressed, and without a single loose thread, she unconsciously smoothed her already perfect skirt and tugged at her necktie as she passed through the crowded halls, people whispering, her tiny, black, size 6 Mary-Janes clacking in rhythm on the tiled floor.

She was known for being all business and no nonsense, and never being caught off guard. Her beautiful exotic looks, sharp wit, and seemingly cold personality quickly earned her the nicknames "Ice Queen," and Tomoeda High's "Frozen Flower."

She didn't care. She considered high school to be a necessary evil, with few people who were weren't shallow and moronic. One of the few would be Sakura. Sakura had known her since they were babies, and was aware of her situation and the environment she grew up in. She understood, and helped her to smile. But even Sakura could know or do only so much.

She was groomed to be a top executive at Daidouji Corporation, and had already set into motion seven insanely popular and successful advertising projects before she turned 13, garnering the family company over $41 million dollars in revenue. This did not go by unnoticed, and was announced to the entire school by her overzealous mother.

She was not callous or uncaring. People were simply too intimidated by or envious of her wit, beauty, and early success to truly talk to her.

It wasn't until her senior year at Tomoeda High School that a single warm ray of sun came and melted Daidouji Tomoyo's icy exterior.

And it came with a sexy accent and glasses.

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Alriiiiight. I suppose I have some explaining to do… -_-

I just graduated! Yaaay! However, the school server I had everything saved to wiped my account a full month before the announced date, and ALL OF THE STORIES AND CHAPTERS I had already started (and unfortunately failed to put up due to life drama and medical problems) got annihilated.

So… I have a LOT of catching up to do. Please be patient with me, and REMIND ME CONSTANTLY. Seriously, you are all allowed to spam me and bother me into finishing my stories via e-mail, reviews (LOVE these), and any other thing you can think of. I love writing for you guys, so just remind me. :)

Again, apologies for the wait, and tell me if you think I should even continue this one.

Gomennasai!

Machiko-Chan


	2. Frozen

Disclaimer: Ownage. No.

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"She is running late."

Inside of one of the many homerooms at Tomoeda High sat Daidouji Tomoyo, the expected valedictorian of the school, future CEO of the famed Daidouji Corporation, and one of the most beautiful people to walk the planet.

Exotic purple hair, porcelain skin, a model's figure, and amethyst-colored eyes quickly made her the most talked about person in the school.

And she didn't care. She wanted none of their trivial little problems, like whether the "yummy" senior on the football team was single, or if that cheerleader's "knockers" were real, and if the teacher was "out to get" her. And thus, her title as the "Frozen Flower" of Tomoeda High was born.

The only ones who seemed to have sensible heads on their shoulders were Kinomoto Sakura and her boyfriend, Xiaolang Li.

Well, Syaoran. But Tomoyo preferred using his real name. He didn't however, so she just called him Li.

Anyway. They were the only two people in the school that didn't drive Tomoyo absolutely insane sometimes with silly things. Also the only ones brave enough to befriend her.

The starting bell for homeroom rang seven minutes ago.

Sakura was late.

Again.

Li was currently seated to the right of Tomoyo, both seated by the windows, Li looking at the empty seat to his right before looking to Tomoyo.

"Hey, 'moyo… How long do you think?" he whispered.

Tomoyo looked back at Li and smiled.

"Well… judging from her normal habits… She's probably running up the stairs to the hallway now…"

"How the hell did you know that?"

"Just saw her trip up the front stairs a minute ago. She probably blazed it up the stairs, and should be in right about n –"

"SENSEI, I'M SO SORRY I'M LATE! TOUYA WAS BEING A PRICK, AN– "

"Kinomoto, that is enough… We know… Take your seat, dear."

Morita-sensei. Quite used to it. Currently rubbing her temple in a strange combination of frustration and amusement.

Kinomoto Sakura. Disheveled, but drop-dead gorgeous girl currently attempting to catch her breath as she walked to her seat. Long honey-colored hair. Perfect skin and figure. Emerald-colored eyes. She and Tomoyo together were the "Twin Jewels" of Tomoeda High.

Stupid kids and their nicknames.

"…fuuuu… Hey guys… Morning!" Sakura greeted with a smile as she sat.

Li and Tomoyo laughed.

"What happened THIS morning Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo asked a smile.

"Seriously… What did the idiot do this time?" Li said, leaning over to move some hair out of Sakura's face.

"Ugh. Stupid idiot made me wash dishes FIVE MINUTES before I was supposed to LEAVE! Dad HAD to leave him in charge while he's off on a dig…"

And Morita-sensei was about to start the announcements.

Tomoyo chuckled and took out her planner.

Black. High-quality leather. No scuffs, tears, or scratches after three years of high school. How fitting for Daidouji Tomoyo.

She carefully opened her planner to today's date and took out her favorite brand of ball-point pen. Black of course.

So there was a survey due next week for post-high plans, an essay about your greatest passion, a new foreign exchange student, oh, and her college visits nex…

A new foreign exchange student?

Tomoyo wrinkled her nose and looked up from her planner in confusion, and noticed what girls would call "a total GOD" standing before the class.

"Would you like to introduce yourself?"

Tall. Dark blue, almost black hair. Muscular, but not overly so. His eyes were hidden by sleek, stylish glasses, and he wore a comfortable smirk on his handsome face.

Tomoyo's first thought, being who she was, was simply this:

'His bone structure… must not be full Japanese.'

And indeed, he was not.

"Thank you very much Morita-sensei. Indeed I shall. Hello all, my name is Hiiragizawa Eriol, and it is my distinct pleasure to meet you all. I hope to…"

At this, he glanced to the right, and met eyes with Tomoyo. Stunning smile. Tomoyo drops pen on desk and continues to blink in confusion.

"…get to know you all… very well."

What was this strange-looking person doing here? And why was he staring at her? And what on earth caused her to drop her pen?!

At Tomoyo's dropped pen, Eriol smirked and continued to pin her with his bespectacled gaze.

'…he has very blue eyes.'

It was then that Tomoyo noticed Li was extremely uncomfortable, and was fidgeting about in his seat and mumbling what sounded like curse words.

"Li… Is something the matter?"

Li groaned in something akin to agony as he wearily slid his hand over his face.

"Is the new kid coming toward us?"

"..yes, yes Li, he is. Why?"

"Eriol is my –"

"Why hello 'Little Wolf,' dear cousin of mine. Aunty Yelan sends her regards."

"- insufferable cousin."

"Morita-sensei, may I place a desk between Xiaolang and Daidouji?"

At this Tomoyo looked up at him, stunned once more. Li simply continued a string of curse words.

"I beg your pardon Hiiragizawa-san, but how do you know my name? I'm quite sure I haven't introduced myself."

Eriol simply smiled, already moving Li over and taking a seat, before turning to her and taking her hand.

"…I've heard a lot about the famed 'Ice Queen' of Tomoeda. I can only guess that it would be you, judging by the way you carry yourself, and how absolutely beautiful you are."

Tomoyo's hand was already quite rigid with something she could only identify as being uncomfortable. This had never happened before. Yes, she had been called beautiful, hot, gorgeous, exotic, and so on, but… never to her face. And it had never seemed so sincere.

She hated being uncomfortable.

"…I thank you kindly for your flattery Hiiragizawa-san. Pardon me, I need to get back to my scheduling."

"Ah, but of course. I would feel terrible if I detracted from your studying… However, if I may ask… are you always this… cold?"

It was now that she pulled her hand away, and turned to face the board, confusion present in her mind for the first time in a long time. She was cold?

"…I… am not. I am not used to much else but order. I suppose… I am just accustomed to this type of behavior. I guess I was not aware I was being cold."

"Do not take it as an insult Daidouji. It merely intrigues me that someone as attractive as you is not smiling as warmly as she could be."

With this, she took a glance at Eriol, who was now looking at the board in mock fascination, and looked back to her hand with a slight, imperceptible shiver.

His hand was warm. Like the sun.

And her hand had been sun-kissed, and was still warm.

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Like? Read and review please. ^ ^

Machiko


	3. Frostbite

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

_Eriol simply smiled, already moving Li over and taking a seat, before turning to her and taking her hand._

…

_With this, she took a glance at Eriol, who was now looking at the board in mock fascination, and looked back to her hand with a slight, imperceptible shiver._

_His hand was warm. Like the sun._

_And her hand had been sun-kissed, and was still warm._

-Frostbite-

To say Tomoyo was confused would be an understatement. You see, once she had dropped her pen, she had been confused. The subsequent events only cause the confusion to deepen, and Hiiragizawa's comment…

…practically fried her brain.

Tomoyo spent the entire rest of the day of classes mechanically taking notes, and stewing about whether or not she was truly "cold."

'_Am I really cold? I don't think so. I simply know what I want, and people around me are simply overly frivolous for the most part… right? And this Hiiragizawa, what business does he have in labeling me as cold? He has no idea who I am and what I do. It shouldn't bother me. It won't.'_

And with that thought, in Tomoyo's mind, it was case closed. Hiiragizawa's comments were not be regarded, as they held no merit, gain, or justification in her eyes. And so she went about her business for the rest of the week ignoring his complete existence.

Or at least trying to. He made it rather difficult, what with his asking for pencils in every class (of _**course**_he was in all of her classes), help with Advanced Calculus II questions (with which she felt he really didn't need assistance) , "accidental" meetings in the library and at lunch, nosing in on her time with Sakura and Li after school, and…

'…_his damned smiling all the time! Is there a reason he keeps bothering me? Does he find this amusing? If he keeps doing this, I will find it difficult to take and analyze accurate notes in my classes. I must confront him.'_

Tomoyo opened up her leather planner and looked to today's date.

Free for 10 minutes between Advanced Organic Chemistry and Shakespearean Literature Analysis. At that time, Hiiragizawa would likely be readying his supplies for the next class.

And with that, she penned in a note, and shut her planner with a small clap.

Perfect time for an impromptu meeting.

~ w ~

"Hiiragizawa, I need to speak with you now. It's of the utmost importance, as it may affect my studies."

Hiiragizawa turned from his locker to look at Tomoyo and smiled, before taking a few books and closing his locker.

"Well, well, my 'Ice Queen,' what can I do for you?"

"My name is Daidouji, and I'd prefer you address me as such. And I'd like to ask you to please stop bothering me while in class. It takes away from my concentration when taking notes, and I worry I may miss vital information necessary for exams or quizzes. Understood?"

Hiiragizawa smiled and leaned against the locker. It gave Tomoyo a rather good understanding of just how tall he was, and how well-proportioned he was.

Not that she cared, of course.

"Understood. I assume, of course, that means that I can bother you _outside_ of class then?"

Tomoyo internally cursed the lack of specificity in her previous wording.

"No, it means that you are not to bother me with anything that could interfere with my academics. That includes my schedule, which IS my time. My time is extremely important, as it involves both my business and my academics, which I don't expect you to understand. Any other questions, Hiiragizawa-san?"

With this, Hiiragizawa looked at her with confusion and smiled sadly.

"...you know… Daidouji-san… You may not think you're cold, but I wonder if you've ever felt true human warmth or emotion. You're like the perfect android; beautiful, brilliant, and soulless. Sonomi and Nadeshiko couldn't have wanted that from you, even with all of your so-called success."

All rational thought went out the window at this point as Tomoyo saw complete red, and, seething, glared at Hiiragizawa as she whispered, dangerously low.

"_And who the hell are YOU to mention __**MY**__ mother, and the mother of __**MY BEST FRIEND**__? I strive for perfection because I know of nothing else! If I ever hear you utter my mother's name, no, even __**Nadeshiko**__, I will use all of my power to ensure that you leave this school, if not this __**COUNTRY**__. ARE WE CLEAR?"_

Hiiragizawa was slightly taken aback at this and frowned before responding, with a type of elegance and veiled anger that both stunned and frightened Tomoyo.

"…your mother Sonomi, and Kinomoto's mother, Nadeshiko, were two of the single most kind, compassionate, and warm human beings I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, and I cared for them almost as much as I cared for my own mother. Upon hearing that both of their daughters were here in Tomoeda, I jumped at the chance to meet them.

"I had heard rumors, about the "Twin Jewels," and that they were utter opposites, with equal beauty. Kinomoto Sakura, warm and bubbly, always smiling, just as her mother was. And then, I heard of you, Daidouji Tomoyo. Cold. Calculating. Perfect. The complete opposite of everything that Sonomi and Nadeshiko had strived to teach you to understand. It's stunning really. I had met you, and truly, as the rumors say, you are terrifyingly beautiful. Unfortunately, the rumors are also true in that you seem to be nothing more than _a shell bent on perfection_. I'll bother you no more, but I hope you reflect a bit on what I've told you. I had hoped to never confront you in such a manner, and for that I apologize. Good bye, Daidouji-san."

And with that, Hiiragizawa walked away, leaving Tomoyo for the first time, to feel lost in the hallways of Tomoeda High. She attended the rest of her classes in a stupor, simply writing down things that were on the board, seemingly unhearing, unseeing.

Both Eriol and Tomoyo however, left the steps of Tomoeda High that day feeling frostbitten from head to toe.

For Tomoyo, the feeling was the first thing that had touched her heart in a great many years, and perhaps this frostbite was the first step to feeling and understanding warmth.

'_Mother…'_

-Frostbite-

Read and Review please. Yay for writing time! :D

Machiko-Chan


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